High octane means low mileage

I knew it was going to be hot today so I had to get an early start. I thanked Mary Ellen and Bill yet again for being such gracious hosts to a total stranger, then was on my way. A stop for fuel and directions and I only had to make 2 U-Turns before I found myself entering the gate at Daytona International Speedway. You'd think that there would be signs everywhere and I guess there are if you are coming from the Interstate or the airport. But I came into town on US1 and saw nothing except, as I passed under the street sign, International Speedway Blvd.

The place is huge. If you check out my Strava map you can see the 2.5 mile side trip around the track. I had hoped to do a "ride along", where a professional driver takes you around the track at 170 mph, but they were not running that today. I believe they said the "Richard Petty Experience" runs 17 weeks out of the year, usually in connection with upcoming races. They have been going all out to promote events at the track and currently run the truck series, go carts, IMPSA, SCCA, motorcycles (both road race and Super Cross), Rolex 24 hour race, Infinity series (formerly the Nationwide series, kind of the minor leagues for...) the Sprint Cup series which is the Daytona 500 and the Firecracker 400. There are other race series, plus they hold special events and concerts. Because of all this activity they have been improving facilities: Grandstands are now 7 stories tall and seating capacity is 101,000, 40 escalators, 17 elevators, twice as many rest rooms, 1400 TVs so you can see the race no matter where you are, etc, etc.

The entrance to turn 1

Because of all of this work their museum is closed (drats). So I did get to go on a 90 minute guided tour which included about half the track, the grandstand facilities, drivers briefing room and victory circle. The track is still, to this old race fan, the most impressive part. The tram took us around the apron of turns 3 & 4 which are banked at 31 degrees. The top of the tram is pretty tall but you could not see the top of the turn as you went around on the bottom. It must be an optical illusion but I swear there is no way those corners are wide enough for 3 cars running side by side, yet they do it consistently at nearly 200 mph! They did stop at the start/finish line so we could climb the banking and take pictures. At that point the banking is a mere 18 degrees but it is amazingly steep when you are standing on it. Keep in mind that the banking there is barely half of turns 3 & 4. It's no wonder they don't let tours go climb up there.

Like Indy, the track is too big to photograph properly. It has to be seen to be believed. 

I had mentioned in my blog after the Indy 500 that I had followed that race for each of the last 60 years. My connection with Daytona doesn't go back quite as far, but almost. Because we lived in Wisconsin the Indy 500 was a much bigger deal (plus it was already 40 years old). I read of the races in Daytona on the beach but there was no radio, and certainly none of that new dangled black and white picture box stuff. Magazines, quite rankle I don't remember which ones, were our connection to the early pioneers. Many people know Richard Petty as "Mr. The King" from the movie Cars. I grew up trying to find out how his Dad Lee Petty did against other early drivers like Freddie Lorenza and, my favorite, Fireball Roberts (who by the way, was mentioned in the museum I visited in Port Arthur)! Richard went on to be "The King" but Lee Petty won the first race on the high banked tri-oval in 1959.

After visiting the track and taking in all I was able to do, I headed north a short distance to St. Augustine where I dropped in to say "Hi" to a customer of ours that buys pump parts from us! Chuck was not in at the Bryn Mawr Oceanside Resort but Laura seemed to be genuinely excited to meet me after talking on the phone for the last 7-10 years(?).

After I left there I back tracked about a mile on highway A1A to a place that caught my eye when I went by the first time, partly because of the name and partly because it was 3 pm and I hadn't eaten since breakfast.

I parked my bike and walked over to take a picture of the sign on the front of the building, but ad to wait as someone else was also taking a picture. We talked very briefly and he chuckled when I explained that I had to stop and check the place out cease my knick name is Frog.

I then went in and placed an order with Maggie who ad just started there 3 days prior so she didn't know if there was a story behind the name. But we talked long enough for me to explain about the reason and scope of my trip and she said she loves Harley's. Her parents both ride and participate in the Honor Rides for both the Amvets and the VFW.

Then, just as I was finishing, the guy that was taking a picture of the sign came over and said "Excuse me Mr. Frog, but this is my wife". It turned out that they had just bought a Harley and we're looking at my bike. He took a picture of Betty's picture then felt he needed to come and introduce his wife so she could meet me. She, like Betty, has no interest in learning to operate their new bike but loves to ride with him. It was a very filling lunch.

Once I was back on the iAd I ignored The Girls and headed north on A1A to stay along the shore instead of back tracking to the bridge back to the main land and getting on the Interstate. I continued north until I had to go inland to cross the big bridge over the St. John's River, which, just before it flows to the ocean, flows past the Navy Base at Mayport Florida. 

Mayport was, in theory, where I was stationed for six months. More accurately stated, Mayport was the home base for the U.S.S. Saratoga, CVA 60, which was an angle deck carrier. Of the six months I was aboard the ship it lived up to the reputation of the carriers as always being at sea. I believe when ?I transferred off I calculated that I had been in Maport for two weeks out of that six months. That also helped it live up to its nickname, the Suckin' Sara. 

After crossing the St. John's I angled back to the east to stay off of the Interstate. I stayed in the saddle just long enough to cross the state line into Georgia and get my picture.

I'm spending the night in Kingsland, Georgia at a motel that promised me they have a really good Wi-Fi  thingy. We'll see, as I am still trying to upload pictures.